'Simmer' Makes Parkside Debut, With Hot Pot And More

If hot pot are what you're after, look no further than this new business. Called Simmer, the fresh arrival is located at 1055 Taraval St. (between 21st Ave & 20th Ave) in Parkside.

The spot was formerly home to Hot Pot Garden, which closed down after a catastrophic fire in 2014. Now, the spot has reopened its doors with a new name and an experience reminiscent of the previous restaurant.

The hot pot experience revolves around dipping thinly sliced meats and vegetables into boiling pots of broth. At Simmer, diners can fill their pots with broths like spicy mala (which features the numbing Sichuan peppercorn), Vietnamese pho, or Chinese herbal.

Next, they can choose from a wide range of meats—including wagyu beef, lamb from New Zealand, or pork belly—and vegetables like watercress, lotus root, and enoki mushroom.

The all-you-can-eat hot pot is $27.99 for adults and $12.99 for children under 10 years old. There's a 90-minute limit to meals.

Simmer has garnered rave reviews thus far, with a five-star rating out of five reviews on Yelp.

Jeffrey C., who was among the first Yelpers to review the new spot on September 24th, said: "So happy this location is back! Soup base was on point. The Vietnamese Pho broth was actually boiled down bones and herbs and veggies rather then some concentration in boiling water."

Yelper Jennifer M. added: “AYCE but on the pricy side. Great spot for dates or even large groups. No line but most of the tables were filled on a Thursday night. Host and waitress was nice and friendly.”

And Wailan M. said: "Best experience for Hot Pot in SF! Ingredients are fresh and flavorful, especially the Wagyu, and which was melt in your mouth. Super high quality meats!"

Interested? Stop by to welcome the new business to the neighborhood. Simmer is open Friday and Saturday from 5pm–11pm, and Sunday–Thursday from 5pm–10pm.